Greetings comic book fans and welcome to another episode of the Crank File. Every Wednesday is new comic book day and on Tuesdays I like to spotlight some of the stuff I’ll be checking out.

Here’s what I’m reading this week:

The Top of the Pile: The Mighty Thor #705

Publisher: MarvelWords: Jason AaronArt: Russel Dauterman

What it is: THE DEATH OF THE MIGHTY THOR Part 6 The epic showdown years in the making finally explodes across the heavens. Thor battles the unstoppable Mangog, with the fate of all Asgardia hanging in the balance. Is Thor willing to pay the ultimate price in order to save the gods? The tragic and heroic story of Jane Foster finally reaches its heart-rending zenith. You knew it was coming. The Death of Thor is here at last. Rated T+

Why we love it: Seems like Jane Foster is losing her battle with cancer. Grab a box of tissues and get ready for the feels.

Why we like it: Doctor Strange used his magic to raise Las Vegas up from total annihilation, but he didn’t count on Mephisto bringing a casino and the hoards of hell along with it. Oh yeah, and the Avengers have all been transformed into Ghost Riders under Mephisto’s control.

The Indie One: Descender #28

Publisher: ImageWords: Jeff LemireArt: Dustin Nguyen

What it is: ‘OLD WORLDS,’ Part Two The origins of the Harvesters are finally revealed as we jump back thousands of years to see the dawn of the robotkind and the the secrets of the Ancient Robot and how it connects to Tim-21 in the present. Secrets that have been building since issue one are finally revealed in this shocking new story arc. Each issue in this arc will feature ‘Little Descender’ variant covers by DUSTIN NGUYEN in his ‘Little Robot’ style.

Why we like it: They teased us with the reveal last month, but apparently THIS is the issue where we finally learn the truth about the Harvesters and their connection to Tim-21.

The #1 One: Weapon H #1

Publisher: MarvelWords: Greg PakArt: Cory Smith

What it is: AWOL Part 1 The Weapon X Program has done it again! At the cost of their own destruction, they’ve completed their biggest and possibly most dangerous experiment yet… With the strength of the Hulk and the rage and claws of Wolverine comes WEAPON H! It’s been some time since Weapon H escaped and destroyed his creators. Now, our hero is on the run, as he tries to escape his mysterious past and seclude himself from the rest of society. But when a new kind of Wendigo threatens the lives of others, will Weapon H be able to shirk his responsibility? Does any of his humanity remain? Only the creative team of Greg Pak (INCREDIBLE HULK) and Cory Smith (X-MEN BLUE) can give you the answers! Rated T+

Why we like it: Marvel’s breakout character of 2017 get his own series with Weapon H #1. Part Wolverine, part Hulk, one hundred percent bad-ass.

The One I’m Buying for the Cover: Batwoman #13

What it is: ‘The Fall of the House of Kane’ part one! After her deadly trip around the world hunting the infamous Many Arms of Death, Batwoman returns to her childhood home in Brussels, the site of her most brutal losses and memories. As the clock begins to tick on a new cycle of violence, Kate must overcome her haunted past to prevent an attack more terrible than any before!

Why we like it: Lee Bermejo gives us one of the best Batwoman covers of all time.

Hey there comic book fans and welcome to a very special birthday episode of the Crank File. I’ve spent my 35 years doing nothing but reading and collecting comics… and now there’s only time to say… life well spent!

Every Wednesday is new comic book day and on Tuesdays I like to spotlight some of the stuff that I’m checking out. Here’s what I’m reading this week.

The Top of the Pile: Flash #22

Publisher: DCWords: Joshua WilliamsonArt: Neil Googe

What it is: “THE BUTTON” part four! The cataclysmic events of DC UNIVERSE: REBIRTH #1 continue here! The Dark Knight and The Fastest Man Alive, the two greatest detectives on any world, unite to explore the mystery behind a certain blood-stained smiley button embedded in the Batcave wall. What starts as a simple investigation turns deadly when the secrets of the button prove irresistible to an unwelcome third party-and it’s not who anyone suspects! It’s a mystery woven through time, and the ticking clock starts here!

Why we love it: “The Button” reaches its conclusion in Flash #22, and you know it’s going to be a crazy issue when the return of the golden age Flash, Jay Garrick, is revealed on the cover. What are they hiding under the cover? Who’s really behind the mystery of the button and the New 52? In what must be related news, Geoff Johns recently teased the “Doomsday Clock” story line which will be coming out in November, and will have Superman facing off against Dr. Manhattan. So even though all of the solicits for “The Button” have been telling us “it’s not who anyone suspects”, I’d be gobsmacked if we didn’t see the return of Dr. Manhattan here.

The Mainstream One: Secret Empire #2

Publisher: MarvelWords: Nick SpencerArt: Andrea Sorrentino

What it is: Enshrouded in darkness, plagued by the minions of Baron Mordo and cut off from all assistance, The Defenders and Doctor Strange struggle to save the lives of the innocent people consigned to this hell on Earth. Will Dagger prove to be the key to stopping this nightmare? Meanwhile, will the appearance of a new hero provide Iron Man with the key to Captain America’s startling change? THE SECRET EMPIRE WILL DEFEND YOU! Rated T+

Why we like it: Whether or not you agree with what Nick Spencer has done with Captain America, there’s no denying that Secret Empire has so far been an exceptionally well crafted comic. The plotting, writing and artwork has been aces and I can say without hyperbole that Secret Empire has been my favorite Marvel event since Civil War came out ten years ago.

The Indie One: 4 Kids Walk into a Bank #4

Publisher: Black MaskWords: Matthew RossenbergArt: Tyler Boss

What it is: Things go wrong. Things begin to fall apart. Time to arrange a date with a trucker.

Why we like it: I’ve been looking forward to the 4th issue of this hilarious crime-caper since… damn, December. My love for Matthew Rossenberg’s Black Mask comics has been well documented throughout the Crank File’s run, but the constant delays are really killing my buzz. I hope that they can get this series back on a regular release schedule, because it was one of my favorite reads.

The #1 One: Spawn #1 25th Anniversary Director’s Cut

Publisher: ImageWords and Art: Todd McFarlane

What it is: 2017 marks the 25th anniversary of SPAWN, created by TODD McFARLANE. Spawn debuted to the public, selling 1.7 million copies in 1992 and is on track to be the longest running independent comic ever. Director’s Cut edition of SPAWN #1 includes: Original SPAWN #1 art boards Page commentary by TODD McFARLANE. Vintage surprises from the early days of SPAWN

Why we like it: I got my start reading Marvel and DC comics, but Spawn was the first series that I made a point to get down to my local comic shop to pick up each new issue as they came out. 270-some issues later and the Spawn franchise is still raising hell. What is dead may never die.

The One I’m Buying for the Cover: Batwoman #3

What it is: ‘The Many Arms Of Death’ part three! Batwoman’s identified the cancer spreading through the lawless nation of Coryana, but to fight back, she’s going to need an army?and the only soldiers at hand belong to the island’s deadly warlords and gang leaders! Can Kate rally every one of these cutthroats to a common cause? Or will Coryana collapse into the same wretched hive of scum and villainy it’s always been? The fate of one of Kate’s greatest loves hangs in the balance? RATED T+ Includes a code for a free digital download of this issue.

Why we like it: Only a handful of standout covers this week. I’ve been digging J. G. Jones’ covers throughout this Batwoman run. I wouldn’t be surprised if most shops didn’t order many or any cover B’s, making these a bit scarcer and harder to hunt down in the future. My recommendation, get em now while the gettin’s good.